Slamming a harpoon into a gator 3 feet from you. They are not sociable.

Equipment
Recommendations:

Mosquito repellent and low knee rubbers.

Would You
Recommend This Hunt to a Friend?

yes

Why?

A great few range hunt with dedicated, knowledgeable people.

HUNTER
INFORMATION

Hunter
Name:

Lt. Col. Pat McMahon

Contact
Information:

Tel. 608-981-2277 - N 1411 3rd Ave., Endeavor, WI 53930

Hunting Experience:

Not enough

Physical Condition:

Good for 87

IMPORTANT
NOTES (actions taken if hunter unhappy with hunt)

Notified Outfitter?

Notified Personal Guide?

Notified Booking Agent?

Seeking any
kind of restitution or other settlement from agent, outfitter
or guide?

If Seeking Restitution, What is Sought?

ADDITIONAL
HUNTER COMMENTS AND/OR OUTFITTER/BOOKING AGENT REBUTTAL

Went on this hunt as a result of a hunt report article. Allowed 3 gators. You need to be able to move reasonably well in a boat. We were two management hunters and I was a trophy hunter. We were in separate lakes. All finished in a couple hours. We all had a ball. You meet and sign papers and are in a boat hunting in an hour or so.

Subscriber-Written Trip Report On Alligator Management Hunts

Below is one sample of such a Report which is made available to you FREE of Charge.

Game was very abundant. In two nights of hunting I harpooned 21 gators. The biggest was 13 feet and 4 1/2 inches weighing 680 pounds and I will have a lifesize mounnt made of it for display in my Spear Hunting Museum that has over 7,600 square feet of wall space displaying spear taken trophies from all over the world. The museum is dedicated solely to spear huntnig and is located in Summerdale, Alabama. I highly recommend Jon Ackerly the owner of the guide service I used. He and his competent crew really have their "stuff together".

Jon Ackerly leases a vast amount of land - approximately 200,000 acres. Alligators - big ones too - are very abundant. Every nights hunt is a success.

SERVICE
RATINGS (excellent, good, fair or poor)

Quality
of Outfit:

Excellent

Guide/PH
Ability:

Excellent

Condition
of Camp:

Excellent

Condition
of Equipment:

Excellent

Quality
of Food:

Excellent

Trophy
Care:

Excellent

Name
of Airline:

Airline
Service:

Airline
Comments:

Thank god I didn't have to fly on an airline to get there - I drove.

COSTS

Hunting
Fees:

$750 per night - if a trophy of your length and determination is taken than a trophy fee.

Amount:

$1500

Trophy Fees:

$250 per foot but the $750 is waived.

Amount:

$0

Permits/Licenses:

Amount:

$52

Commercial
Airfares:

Amount:

$0

Charter Airfares:

Amount:

$0

Other Costs:

Two nights hunts $1,500 plus $200 tips to four helpers.

Amount:

$200

Total:

$0

SUMMARY
REMARKS

Problems
of Hunt:

Highlights
of Hunt:

Equipment
Recommendations:

Would You
Recommend This Hunt to a Friend?

Yes

Why?

Harpooning gators is at the top of all my hunts for sheer excitement. To slowly slip uo on those huge prehistoric monsters and then slam a harpoon into him - then the long evening fight.

HUNTER
INFORMATION

Hunter
Name:

Gene Morris

Contact
Information:

Tel. 251-987-1111 - 7150 Wolf Field Rd., Elberta, AL 36530

Hunting Experience:

Forever. 494 big game animals, 331 big game animals on my spear tally. I am the greatest living spear hunter in the world.

Physical Condition:

Good.

IMPORTANT
NOTES (actions taken if hunter unhappy with hunt)

Notified Outfitter?

Notified Personal Guide?

Notified Booking Agent?

Seeking any
kind of restitution or other settlement from agent, outfitter
or guide?

If Seeking Restitution, What is Sought?

ADDITIONAL
HUNTER COMMENTS AND/OR OUTFITTER/BOOKING AGENT REBUTTAL

This is in addition to the limited space and comments I made on your "Hunting Report" form. I have been going down to harpoon gators now for exactly three years with Jon Ackerly. My agreement with him is that I pay him $750 per night for an unlimited number of gators - then if I get a trophy I want to keep then only the trophy fee applies. With him I have a 11 foot 8 inch life-size mount, a 12 foot 8 inch rug plus others. This time I was after one that was 13 foot or longer and they are there but I didn't get one. I did get 23 gators in the two nights hunting. All were over seven foot and my biggest was 11 foot 3 inches with plenty over 10 feet. Also Jon was generous enough to let my female camera person harpoon three gators. She has a license. Her biggest was 8 foot 6 inches and she claims to be "The Greatest Female Spear Hunter In The World" with 26 big game spear kills, I think the title is warranted. She is going to be the full time curator of a museum I will soon open that is dedicated solely to spear hunting. Jon with his two very able assistants in the boat really have it all together. It takes a real team effort to claim even one of those prehistoric monsters and Jon not only knows his stuff but he has his stuff all together.

Like I said in your Hunting Report from harpooning gators is beyond exciting and a real adrenaline pumper. Also it is not all that expensive either considering how expensive most of the hunts in the world now are (I just returned from Africa in September). Because of all this I strongly recommend that your publication "push" gator hunting. Of a gator almost nothing is wasted - hide, meat, etc. Jon allows a hunter to bring back ample amounts of the choice meat.

Subscriber-Written Trip Report On Alligator Management Hunts

Below is one sample of such a Report which is made available to you FREE of Charge.

I hunted with harpoon with Mr. Jon Ackerly and crew for two nights. Got 10 alligators each of the two nights. All were over 7 foot or one with the biggest being 11 foot 8 inches, weighing exactly 480 pounds.

SERVICE
RATINGS (excellent, good, fair or poor)

Quality
of Outfit:

Excellent

Guide/PH
Ability:

Excellent

Condition
of Camp:

Excellent

Condition
of Equipment:

Excellent

Quality
of Food:

Trophy
Care:

Excellent

Name
of Airline:

All airlines suck.

Airline
Service:

Airline
Comments:

Airlines are one of my main enemies in life. Fortunately I could drive the 500 miles from my home on this trip.

COSTS

Hunting
Fees:

For first night.

Amount:

$750

Trophy Fees:

$250 per foot or $2,937 for the 11 foot 8 inch trophy.

Amount:

$2937

Permits/Licenses:

$52 but guide paid this.

Amount:

$0

Commercial
Airfares:

None involved - thank god.

Amount:

$0

Charter Airfares:

Amount:

$0

Other Costs:

Motel, food, driving costs.

Amount:

$903

Total:

$0

SUMMARY
REMARKS

Problems
of Hunt:

None.

Highlights
of Hunt:

Harpooning, fighting and getting a 480 pound monster in the swamps of Florida. Five days before my arrival a 300 pound gator had killed and partially eaten a 54 year old human male near where we were to hunt.

Equipment
Recommendations:

He provides the harpoons.

Would You
Recommend This Hunt to a Friend?

Yes

Why?

This was the third time I have harpoon hunted gators with Jon Ackerly. Once I got a 12 foot 8 inch one. He has his stuff together - period.

HUNTER
INFORMATION

Hunter
Name:

Eugene C. Morris

Contact
Information:

Tel. 251-987-1111 - 7150 Wolf Field Rd., Elberta, AL 36530

Hunting Experience:

494 1/2 big game bow kills - 211 big game spear kills.

Physical Condition:

Good - I am the greatest living spear hunter in the world, considering I am 71 years old.

IMPORTANT
NOTES (actions taken if hunter unhappy with hunt)

Notified Outfitter?

Notified Personal Guide?

Notified Booking Agent?

Seeking any
kind of restitution or other settlement from agent, outfitter
or guide?